***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[RustyShackleford]

Welp, this sucks.

Surpri

Real quick, I haven't been around because I don't want to. Life been tough for the last 6 months. Dealing with health issues, mom dealing with other health issues, lost a close friend, girlfriend got in a bad crash and been taking care of her, been traveling to Saint Lucia because my grandma is finally starting to slip mentally and I want to spend as much time with her while she remembers me.

I wish I were making all this **** up. All this happened so close together I logged outta NT one day when I was trading in my phone and really never had the time or interest to log back in. I don't really know when or if I will post actively again.

Anyway, regarding the election. It was better I wasn't around because I was sure Trump was gonna win.

Really by no fault of Harris, all things she ran a great campaign.

But like I was a while ago, Trump had a major advantage in that people are really upset about inflation and immigration. But the unfortunate thing is that they don't understand both, and worse don't understand what policies can get the outcomes they desire.

We see this happening all over the work. Where incumbent parties are taking major loses because people are pissed about those two things.

I still found time to do campaign work, and I saw this over and over. People just think Trump has some magic in these areas. Even though when we pulled people, they prefer Harris's policies, and had a more favorable view of her personally.

People are gonna focus on the culture war stuff, there will be a lot of finger pointing but I would suggest people wait until next spring more thorough analysis comes out on who broke where and for what reason. There will be some really nasty reasons too, but hey, a lot of voters are petty and irrational people too.

Anyway, hope everyone and their families and safe and healthy.

Because and America and the world are in serious trouble.

When stuff gets better on my end, I'll be back around.

 

[QU!K]

I just heard an interview from a woman in Orange County, CA she’s half Vietnamese and voted for Trump solely because her mom was a legal immigrant

Trump has a big Vietnamese following unfortunately.

 

[sneaksoy]

The benefit of the doubt some people get lmao

I thought it was dumb in 2016 when ppl gave it to Trump but 8 years later and we're hoping the same Leopard to change his spots.

Idk what message or policy defeats the line of thinking moving forward. I really don't

No message or policy can defeat the 24/7 news cycle of lies pedaled to the right.


Imo, the left needs to give up the high ground and fight fire with fire. Lie to voters. Play on the vibes. Lie some more to voters.


We’re seeing today that actual policy does. not. matter. Americans are dumb writ large and it’s only going to get worse, so it’s probably going to take stooping down to have a chance to lift this country back up.

 

[IATT]

Do you think mass deportations could actually happen? How would that even be implemented—would federal agents enter immigrant sanctuary cities? It seems like things could escalate quickly.

This about to play out like stop and frisk did in New York

I wish the best to all none white clearly straight male people

Between “immigration” and “religious” policies, certain heavy handed tactics about to get implemented

For example, those states wanting to track women’s medical information.. or women that need to cross state lines for life saving medical care

 

[jshortt]

Already this morning, white female coworker from Buffalo.

"I don't want to hear anything about a hurricane. Next time it happens, I will say look at 2024. I'm applying for grad programs in Europe. I'm out of here."

Hope folks are moving wisely at work. I get the frustration but move wisely folks.

Yup. I have a colleague who is about as far right as far right can get, and assumes everybody thinks like she does. I'm trying to stay away from her today.

 

[paulwest1985]

Hopefully Agent Orange just has a massive stroke. Only downside is JD Vance is mext in line.

This ain't the way brah.

 

[sneaksoy]

Sending prayers your way RustyShackleford . Like aepps20 , this forum is better with you but we support you taking care of family before coming back on here.

 

[worldbeefreeg]

The internet has done so much irreversible harm to society.

Social media has amplified people being contrarians just for the reaction that comes with it.

Yes plus the biggest quiet issue is the consolidation of the internet.

When I started coming on this website almost 20 years ago, it was one of many, many different website I went too. The internet used to be a big place with lots of corners and niches.

Now it's been consolidated by a few different hands, and we all go to the same couple platforms which really monopolize our time (FB, Gram, X). I'm a far LEFT person but I feel like I've become more conservative over the past few years just by getting poisioned by the far right stuff that Musk pushed on X. I can't only imagine what that does if you don't have the educational background that I do, it would push you even further (as we're currently seeing).

Musk/Thiel and the creep tech plutocracy have a long-term vision for really taking complete control of the country and they're lining up their ducks in a row to make it all happen with seemingly no push back.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Yup. I have a colleague who is about as far right as far right can get, and assumes everybody thinks like she does. I'm trying to stay away from her today.

I mean you will be fine with all of your side gigs but don't let her bait you into doing/saying anything stupid.

 

[dacomeup]

Because you live here? Are we just supposed to chicken little the situation? Or should we try to live in peace and hope for the best?

Man, my ancestors survived being enslaved, brutally rapes, sexually assaulted, murdered by racists, and other unthinkable things on this very land, while building this country through blood, sweat and tears. I don’t need to be lectured on being chicken little or how I should hope for the best. There are practical realities to a Trump Presidency that are frightening to minorities, immigrants, women, working class people, LBGTQ people, and other groups. Trump and his people have put together a playbook for what they plan on doing this time and these policies will clearly affect these people. Democracy is fragile and ultimately upheld by the people, not by hoping. If that’s how you plan on dealing with this than go ahead. I and many others in this thread do not need to be talked to in this patronizing way.

 

[rolaholic]

The internet has done so much irreversible harm to society.

Social media has amplified people being contrarians just for the reaction that comes with it.

Society devolving into a microcosm of 4chan 15 years later absolutely wasn't on my radar

 

[me love nutella]

What surprises me is that, given the results, some still attribute these outcomes to "uneducated people voting poorly" rather than recognizing these voters are prioritizing issues that matter to them. There’s a lesson here—not just for Trump supporters but for everyone. Dismissing people as “idiots” for supporting Trump misses the point. Instead, the focus should be on understanding why they’re voting that way and addressing those concerns consistently and early on. Kamala’s campaign centered heavily on topics like Roe v. Wade and Trump’s character, leaving other key issues unaddressed. There’s something for everyone to learn from this.

Agreed, because in a sense, as a culture, American exceptionalism is real, and many actually do love fascism, militarism, and exploitation. This goes for many populations across the world living in our good ol' white supremacist, colonialist, racist, capitalist indoctrinated societies. It is us who gives these ruling elites continued domination and powers to exploit and abuse us.

 

[Kierris]

You said focus on policy and I’m telling you that’s what none of this election was about …that’s not why they are losing support

Ok, yes personally I think Democrats should focus more on policy. Harris actually had a good plan regarding middle class Americans and homeownership and the only way I found out about that plan is by looking it up on her site.. This loss is completely on the Dems being out of touch with their voters..

 

[mister friendly]

Republicans have a position of familiarity to the electorate, Democrats really have to do more or have bad circumstances to win elections in general.


Watergate, Bush recession/ Ross Perot, Great Recession and Covid

 

[cedric ceballos]

She was literally out there on the trail with "Those who lean right and aren't hardcore conservatives"

And it got her NOTHING.

What is the point to keep moving center if the center just keeps moving right?

Is it even the center anymore? Those times are dead man

I’m talking in general beyond this election. Her situation was much more of an uphill battle from the jump.

But in general it’s not even so much pandering and moving to the center. It’s more finding a way to have charm and being charismatic to win back those on the fence voters, those who shifted to the right this election but don’t vote Republican every election. You’re not going to poach and push your hardcore conservatives and the MAGA crowd left. That’s a losing battle. But there’s people who voted Republican this election who are in play to be poached in 2028 the same way the GOP poached people who voted blue in 2020 this election.

 

[WASHED KING]

Welp, this sucks.

Surpri

Real quick, I haven't been around because I don't want to. Life been tough for the last 6 months. Dealing with health issues, mom dealing with other health issues, lost a close friend, girlfriend got in a bad crash and been taking care of her, been traveling to Saint Lucia because my grandma is finally starting to slip mentally and I want to spend as much time with her while she remembers me.

I wish I were making all this **** up. All this happened so close together I logged outta NT one day when I was trading in my phone and really never had the time or interest to log back in. I don't really know when or if I will post actively again.

Anyway, regarding the election. It was better I wasn't around because I was sure Trump was gonna win.

Really by no fault of Harris, all things she ran a great campaign.

But like I was a while ago, Trump had a major advantage in that people are really upset about inflation and immigration. But the unfortunate thing is that they don't understand both, and worse don't understand what policies can get the outcomes they desire.

We see this happening all over the work. Where incumbent parties are taking major loses because people are pissed about those two things.

I still found time to do campaign work, and I saw this over and over. People just think Trump has some magic in these areas. Even though when we pulled people, they prefer Harris's policies, and had a more favorable view of her personally.

People are gonna focus on the culture war stuff, there will be a lot of finger pointing but I would suggest people wait until next spring more thorough analysis comes out on who broke where and for what reason. There will be some really nasty reasons too, but hey, a lot of voters are petty and irrational people too.

Anyway, hope everyone and their families and safe and healthy.

Because and America and the world are in serious trouble.

When stuff gets better on my end, I'll be back around.

Protect your peace family wishing you and yours the best.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

These appeals to moderates and moving off of popular progressive policies just isn’t smart. Campaign on popular positions and show people that you’ll fight for them. The Left will inevitably take the blame for this though, but Kamala trumpeted Liz Cheney endorsements and reaching across the aisle to no avail.

this can't be right;

Biden moved to the left on every issue, trump massively over performed his polling despite presiding over a disastrous covid response.

Without COVID Biden loses easily.


Looking at the 2020 Biden campaign as some act of political brilliance is a mistake

in reality it's a largely bumbling campaign that got lucky because of COVID.

 

[elpablo21]

.

Hope everything gets better for you and the fam and my condolences for your loss man.

Looking forward to see you and aepps20 post again when you're both in a better space down the line.

 

[worldbeefreeg]

Trump has a big Vietnamese following unfortunately.

The reality is immigrants who are gain legal immigration paths to America are overwhelmingly conservative. We've constructed paths for H1B types and people fleeing authoritarian left governments, or historically conservative outposts (D.R.) to become the driving immigrant forces in this country and now we are seeing the results (no one is serious about equality, the brown folks really just want the be on the same boat with the whites to have the same advantages).

The biggest story demographically last night is the hispanic swing to Trump. My wife's Dominican mother who can barely speak a word of English was having Trump prayer circles. This is probably a person, who if she would have voted in '08 or '12, would have voted for Obama (doubt she actually voted then). Until you figure a way to get those people back into the tent, you won't win ****.

 

[jshortt]

It's extremely hard as a teacher today. I'm not discussing any politics, not joking laughing or smiling with anyone today, giving my students a test and a video assignment and sitting down to grade, eating lunch in my room with the door shut.

Leaving work at exactly 3:55 when that bell rings. No one is getting me today.

Same!

 

[pmatic]

Can't really blame her for not wanting to give a speech, but Kamala just canceling her speech at Howard is...not great.

 

[rolaholic]

This about to play out like stop and frisk did in New York

I wish the best to all none white clearly straight male people

Between “immigration” and “religious” policies, certain heavy handed tactics about to get implemented

For example, those states wanting to track women’s medical information.. or women that need to cross state lines for life saving medical care

The man ran on enshrining qualified immunity and implementing stop and frisk nationally, it's about to be open season even more than before...

 

[dacomeup]

this can't be right;

Biden moved to the left on every issue, trump massively over performed his polling despite presiding over a disastrous covid response.

Without COVID Biden loses easily.


Looking at the 2020 Biden campaign as some act of political brilliance is a mistake

in reality it's a largely bumbling campaign that got lucky because of COVID.

I take that with a grain of salt tbh. The right has a massive megaphone behind them (even larger with X) that trumpets every Democrat as being a communist, and to this point the Dems suck at combating that. Meanwhile actual progressive policies such as affordable healthcare, student loan forgiveness, etc are popular.

And again, where in my post did I ever say that Biden ran a politically brilliant campaign? His association with Obama did a lot of groundwork for him too — someone else who ran on progressive policies at the time

 

[the coolness]

Damn, Taylor Swift really ain't **** then. That's supposed to be the endorsement that would corral white women.

And Latino men?? It really be my own people

 

[essential1]

You win on the margins.

The margin is the center. But you have to pull the center your way. You take what they say they need and you show them why it should be you.

These things are always 40-40 (20 in the center) or 45-45 (10 in the center)

You must win a majority of the center. While also not pissing off your 40 or 45 whatever it may be in that election and losing 3-4-5 of what you’re supposed to count on.

Where Republicans more often are so better at politics is they bang on populism regardless of how unpopular their position is.
Democrats by constantly co-opting their message and ceding not minor points, but major details they appear to be the idealist, and not the adult in the room.

It’s why for over 40 years it’s been Dems lose, Republicans **** it up, and Dems come in to fix it.
92, 08, 20. Bill Clinton and Obama got re-elected through populism and messaging.
The adults in the room have always been the Democrats…. But rather than run as they are, they run as the idealist. The “in a perfect world” people.

And it gets them within striking distance of the center. But it really pisses off the 90% of the support they need to count on.